1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers for loose materials, and more particularly to an improved container having a pair of outwardly extending pivot shafts received in bearing support members carried by a transporting vehicle, and container dumping apparatus adapted to tilt the container about the pivot shafts to cause the contents thereof to be emptied at a desired location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of tiltable dump bins or containers carried by a vehicle have been suggested, both for end dumping and for side dumping, relative to the vehicle. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,353, a combination belly dump/end dump vehicle is disclosed wherein loose materials within a tiltable hopper can be dumped therefrom, the hopper being permanently carried by the vehicle. As shown in that patent, only single hopper is provided.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,615, there is shown and described another variation of a dump bin or container permanently carried on a transport vehicle such as a trailer or a truck. As disclosed in that patent the dumping action takes place over the tail end of the vehicle.
Another tiltable bin or container, one adapted for side dumping is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,593 with the bin or container pivotable about an axis that is supported on a frame carried by the transport vehicle body.
The prior art devices disclosed in the above-identified patents involve bins or containers that are secured to a vehicle, and the vehicle carries hydraulically operated means to cause the bin or container to tilt in the desired direction to permit the discharge of materials contained therein. However, because the bins are secured to the vehicles, the flexibility of use of such devices is rather limited. Additionally, those disclosed arrangements are relatively costly in that the hydraulically operated dumping mechanisms must be provided on each vehicle.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a transportation container for loose materials, the container being removable from a transporting vehicle, and wherein the transporting vehicle includes supporting means to pivotally support the container to permit tilting thereof and discharge of the contents therefrom.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a transportation vehicle to carry tiltable bins or containers, the vehicle serving merely as a carrier thereof and not including a tilting mechanism.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stationary container tilting apparatus at a predetermined dumping station, the apparatus engageable with a tiltable bin or container pivotally carried by a suitable transport vehicle.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a transportation container and a transport vehicle wherein latching or locking mechanisms are not required to keep the containers securely in place while they are being hauled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a container tilting mechanism that protects the dumping system from the sudden jerk produced when a tiltable container is tilted to the point that the center of gravity of the container passes over and past its pivot point.